Bottle With Directed Pour Spout

Abstract

Described is a bottle having bottle central part having a bottle base, a handle, and a bottle top with a bottle filling fitment. A snap-on spout has a nozzle fitment with a forward directed pouring orifice and attached child-resistant nozzle. The snap-on spout is attached to the bottle central part with a non-circular snap-fit attachment surface.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to bottles for dispensing liquids, such as liquid cleaners and the like. More particularly, the present invention relates generally to handled bottles having a forward directed pour spout at an oblique angle and with a child-resistant closure.

2. Description of the Related Art

Conventional bottles are designed for vertical filling and vertical dispensing, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,223,945 to Giblin et al., U.S. Pat. Appl. 2008/0110849 to Wachsberg, and PCT App. WO2004/045967 to Kunz. As such, these bottles have an awkward balance between handle and pouring spout when dispensing a liquid. Other squeeze bottles for specialized uses have been developed that have forward directed spouts at oblique angles, however these bottles additionally have obliquely directed filling orifices that create significant impediments on high speed filling lines.

Several solutions to an obliquely directed pour spout that maintains vertically filling capability have been developed. For example, PCT App. WO2006/126288 to Nozawa discloses a deformable spout that can be laterally inclined. A container with an extendable, directable pouring spout is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,722,570 to Sultzer, III et al. While these examples provide solutions to directed pour, they are also complex to manufacture and require the user to manipulate a complicated device. A squeezable dispenser is described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,306,121 to Ophardt et al. While not a handle assisted pouring bottle, it provides squeeze directed fluid dispensing through a circular, rotational turret.

Accordingly, what is needed is an ergonomic handled bottle, with a forward directed pour spout at an oblique angle, vertical filling capability, and having an optional child-resistant closure.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the principles of the present invention, in one embodiment, a bottle comprises a bottle central part having bottle base, an enclosed handle on a bottle handle side surface, and a bottle top fitment, the bottle top fitment having a bottle filling fitment with a horizontal bottle filling fitment opening parallel to the bottle base; a one-piece, snap-on spout fluidly connected to the bottle filling fitment at the bottle filling fitment opening and attached to the bottle central part with a non-circular snap-fit fitment attachment surface, where the snap-on spout has a nozzle fitment with a pouring orifice; and a child-resistant pouring nozzle having a spout opening and attached to the nozzle fitment; wherein the pouring orifice is directed away from the handle.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, a bottle comprises a bottle central part having bottle base, an enclosed handle on a bottle handle side surface, and a bottle top fitment, the bottle top fitment having a bottle filling fitment with a horizontal bottle filling fitment opening parallel to the bottle base; a one-piece, snap-on spout fluidly connected to the bottle filling fitment at the bottle filling fitment opening and attached to the bottle central part with a non-circular snap-fit fitment attachment surface, where the snap-on spout has a nozzle fitment with a pouring orifice; and a child-resistant pouring nozzle having a spout opening and threadably attached to the nozzle fitment, so that the nozzle may threadably rotate axially along a nozzle fitment neck portion of the nozzle fitment.

According to a further embodiment of the present invention, a bottle comprises a bottle central part having bottle base, an enclosed handle on a bottle handle side surface, and a bottle top fitment, the bottle top fitment having a bottle filling fitment with a horizontal bottle filling fitment opening parallel to the bottle base; a one-piece, snap-on spout fluidly connected to the bottle filling fitment at the bottle filling fitment opening and attached to the bottle central part with a non-circular snap-fit fitment attachment surface, where the snap-on spout has a nozzle fitment with a pouring orifice.

The use of the bottle of the present invention, from a consumer perspective, would not differ from the use of any conventional dispensing bottle known in the art. The user would simply open the closure mechanism to dispense fluid from the bottle.

Further features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art in view of the detailed description of embodiments below, when considered together with the attached drawings and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing aspects and others will be readily appreciated by the skilled artisan from the following description of illustrative embodiments when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a plan view of a bottle in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows an exploded plan view of a bottle in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 shows an exploded cross-sectional view of a bottle according to the present invention;

FIG. 4 shows a plan view of a bottle in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 shows an exploded cross-sectional view of a bottle portion according to the present invention;

FIG. 6 shows an exploded cross-sectional view of a bottle portion according to the present invention;

FIG. 7 an exploded cross-sectional view of a bottle portion according to the present invention;

FIG. 8 shows a plan view of a bottle in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 shows a plan view of a bottle in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 10 shows an exploded plan view of a bottle in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made to the drawings wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout. For ease of description, the components of this invention are described in the normal (upright) operating position, and terms such as upper, lower, horizontal, top, bottom, etc., are used with reference to this position. It will be understood, however, that the components embodying this invention may be manufactured, stored, transported, used, and sold in an orientation other than the position described.

Figures illustrating the components of this invention show some conventional mechanical elements that are known and that will be recognized by one skilled in the art. The detailed descriptions of such elements are not necessary to an understanding of the invention, and accordingly, are herein presented only to the degree necessary to facilitate an understanding of the novel features of the present invention.

All publications, patents and patent applications cited herein, whether supra or infra, are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety to the same extent as if each individual publication, patent or patent application was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference.

As used herein and in the claims, the term “comprising” is inclusive or open-ended and does not exclude additional unrecited elements, compositional components, or method steps. Accordingly, the term “comprising” encompasses the more restrictive terms “consisting essentially of” and “consisting of”.

It must be noted that, as used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an” and “the” include plural referents unless the content clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to a “surfactant” includes two or more such surfactants.

Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the invention pertains. Although a number of methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice of the present invention, the preferred materials and methods are described herein.

The term “bottle”, as used herein, is meant to mean and include any plastic container for holding a fluid. The term “acute”, as used herein, is meant to mean an angle whose measure is greater than 0 degrees but less than 90 degrees. The term “oblique”, as used herein, is meant to mean an angle whose measure is not a multiple of 90 degrees. The term “forward directed spout”, as used herein, is meant to mean a pouring spout whose pouring direction is on the opposite side from the handle and the spout is directed at less than 45 degrees from the horizontal when the bottle is placed in its normal storage position on a flat surface.

Forward Directed Pour Spout

As shown in FIG. 1, the bottle 100 suitably has a forward directed pour spout opening 101 directed away from the handle side 102 of the bottle 100, rather than a horizontal spout opening found with most conventional bottles. The spout opening 101 is obliquely directed at an acute angle 103 (as measured between a ray from the spout opening highest point 104 and parallel to the bottle base 105 and a ray from the spout opening highest point 104 across the spout opening 101). The angle 103 is greater than 0 degrees (horizontal spout) but less than 90 degrees (vertical spout). Suitably, the angle 103 is less than 60 degrees and greater than 0 degrees, or less than 45 degrees and greater than 0 degrees, or less than 30 degrees and greater than 0 degrees, or less than 20 degrees and greater than 0 degrees. In a suitable embodiment, the bottle 100 has a pouring nozzle 106 having a nozzle attachment base 107 attached to a snap-on spout 108 which is attached with a non-circular snap-fit attachment surface 109 to the bottle central part 116. In a suitable embodiment, the non-circular snap-fit attachment surface 109 is non-planar. In a suitable embodiment, the spout opening 101 is parallel to the nozzle attachment base 107. In suitable embodiments, the snap-on spout 108 is transparent or partially transparent to allow the user to anticipate the degree of pouring.

The spout opening is suitably a beveled spout opening 201, which is angled relative to the nozzle attachment base 207, as shown in FIG. 2, rather than a spout opening 101 parallel to the nozzle attachment base 107, as in FIG. 1. The beveled spout opening 201 allows for easier pouring control from a forward directed pour spout. Where the nozzle is a twist-turn beveled nozzle 206, the unsymmetrical shape of the nozzle may indicate to the consumer whether the nozzle is in an off position for storage (not shown) or rotated to an on position for pouring, as shown in FIG. 2.

The snap-on spout 208 allows for a large horizontal opening 210 on a bottle filling fitment 211 within a bottle top fitment 212. The horizontal opening 210 is parallel to the horizontal base 205 of the bottle 200, which allows for vertical filling of the bottle 200 prior to attachment of the snap-on spout 208 and the nozzle 206. As shown in the cross-sectional view in FIG. 3, when the snap-on spout 208 is attached with the non-circular snap-fit attachment surface 209 to the bottle top fitment 212, a pouring column 213 in the snap-on spout 208 attaches to the bottle filling fitment 211.

Child-Resistant Closure

As shown in FIG. 3, the bottle 300 suitably has a child-resistant spout, for example as described in U.S. Pat. RE39,727 to Sprick et al., which is incorporated in its entirety by reference. The spout of the present invention is suitably provided having a dispensing feature with a child-resistant opening mechanism which provides for difficulty for children both in opening the spout for pouring out contents from the bottle and also in removing the nozzle completely. As shown in FIG. 3, the spout includes a nozzle 206, a snap-on spout 208 and a nozzle fitment 214. The snap-on spout 208 and the nozzle fitment 214 can be molded in one piece. The nozzle 206 is threadably attached to the nozzle fitment 214, so that the nozzle 206 may threadably rotate axially along the nozzle fitment neck portion 215 of the nozzle fitment 214. In this manner, the nozzle 206 may be rotated from a closed position (as shown in FIG. 1) to an open position (as shown in FIG. 4) in order to access the contents of the bottle central part 216 upon which the snap-on spout 208 is disposed. The nozzle fitment 214 is positioned within the nozzle 206 so that the nozzle opening 217 in the nozzle 206 is sealed by the nozzle fitment post 218 of the nozzle fitment 214, when the nozzle 206 is in the closed position, as in FIG. 1. The present invention also provides a stopping mechanism by which the rotation of nozzle 206 about nozzle fitment 214 is limited. This stopping mechanism prevents the threadable removal of the nozzle 206 from the nozzle fitment 214.

As shown in FIG. 5, the nozzle 206 includes an outer wall 219 depending from a top wall 220 which includes a nozzle opening 217 from which the contents of a bottle (not shown) may be dispensed. The nozzle 206 includes an inner wall 221, in addition to outer wall 219. Outer wall 219 may be annular or any other appropriate shape. Inner wall 221 is also annular and may include at least one thread 222 projecting from an inner surface 223 thereof. The stopping mechanism of the present invention includes at least one drop lug 224 formed on a lower portion or termination edge 225 of inner wall 221. In a suitable embodiment, inner wall 221 includes one or more drop lugs 224 projecting downwardly therefrom. When drop lug 224 meets lug stop 226 on nozzle fitment 214, the shape of drop lug 224 and the extent of its attachment to inner wall 221 should be sufficient to oppose twisting force applied by the user. Drop lug 224 is formed so as to resist deformation as rotational pressure is applied to nozzle 206. Drop lug 224 engages lug stop 226 on nozzle fitment 214, when the nozzle 206 is rotated counterclockwise, so as to prevent rotation of the nozzle 206, as described herein below.

Outer wall 219 may include at least one child-resistant lock 227 formed thereon. In a suitable embodiment, nozzle 206 includes two child-resistant locks 227 diametrically aligned along the outer wall 219. Nozzle fitment 214 also may include at least one child-resistant stop 228. In one embodiment, nozzle fitment 214 includes two child-resistant stops 228 diametrically aligned around the neck portion 215 and integrally formed with lug stops 226. Child-resistant stops 228 cooperate with child-resistant locks 227 so as to limit the user's ability to open the nozzle 206.

When nozzle 206 is assembled on the nozzle fitment 214, the inner wall 221 is disposed over the neck portion 215 of nozzle fitment 214. Nozzle 206 is positioned over nozzle fitment 214 so that nozzle fitment post 218 extends through nozzle opening 217. One or more of the drop lugs 224 and the child-resistant locks 227 are disposed between lug stops 226 and child-resistant stops 228. In the closed position, nozzle 206 is threaded axially down over neck portion 215, such that nozzle fitment post 218 extends upward through nozzle opening 217, thereby sealing nozzle opening 217. When nozzle 206 is opened, the user applies inward pressure to the outer wall 219, thereby deforming the outer wall 219. The child-resistant locks 227 are disposed on the portions of the outer wall that deflect outward, when pressure is applied by the user. While this pressure is being applied, the user may then axially rotate the nozzle 206, so that the nozzle 206 moves upward from neck portion 215. As the nozzle 206 rotates axially, child-resistant locks 227 rotate past child-resistant stops 228 without engaging them, since the outer wall 219 is deformed outwardly at those points where the child-resistant locks are located. If the outer wall 219 was not deformed as the axial rotation was occurring, then child-resistant locks 227 would engage child-resistant stops 228, thereby preventing the opening of the nozzle 206. Nevertheless, as the child-resistant locks 227 on the deformed nozzle 206 move past the child-resistant stops 228, the nozzle 206 continues to rotate axially until one or both drop lugs 224 engage one or both lug stops 226. Once drop lugs 224 engage lug stops 226, further axial rotation of nozzle 206 is prevented. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, at the point of engagement of drop lugs 224 with lug stops 226, nozzle 206 is open allowing liquid to flow through nozzle fitment pouring orifice 238 and through nozzle opening 217, but nozzle 206 is still attached to nozzle fitment 214.

Snap-on Spout

One example of a snap-fit mechanism that may be useful in the present invention is described in commonly owned U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 12/142,090 and 12/254,132, both herein incorporated by reference. In the example of FIG. 6, the snap-on spout 208 may be connected to the bottle central part 216 with a non-circular snap-fit attachment surface 209. The non-circular snap-fit attachment surface 209 allows easy direct alignment between the pouring column 213 and the bottle filling fitment 211 when the snap-on spout 208 is attached to the bottle central part 216, which can also be non-circular. The pouring column 213 may have one or more extended bottle alignment guides 229 that slide past the bottle filling fitment 211.

Snap-on fitment sidewall inner surface 230 of snap-on fitment sidewall 231 of the non-circular snap-fit attachment surface 209 includes one or more attachment lugs 232 circumferentially spaced apart along snap-on fitment sidewall inner surface 230. Each member of the one or more attachment lugs 232 projects radially inward from snap-on fitment sidewall inner surface 230. Attachment lugs 232 are adapted to attach to one or more lug receivers 233 on bottle central part 216.

In the example of FIG. 7, the snap-on spout 208 may be connected to the bottle central part 216 via a snap-fit mechanism. The snap-fit mechanism allows direct alignment between the pouring column 213 and the bottle filling fitment 211 when the snap-on spout 208 is attached to the bottle central part 216. The bottle filling fitment 211 may have one or more extended snap-on spout fitment alignment guides 234 that slide past the pouring column end 235.

Pour Venting Means

The nozzle fitment 214 may require a pour venting means to allow air intake for smooth pouring through a relatively small pouring orifice. As shown in FIG. 2, a pouring orifice 236 is on the underside of the nozzle fitment 214. There may also be one or more pour venting orifices 237 on the topside of the nozzle fitment 214.

Refill Channel

In a suitable embodiment in FIG. 8, refill channel 238 may allow a user to add fluid, such as a cleaning liquid, to the bottle 800. The refill channel 238 may have a cover 239 attached via a hinge 240 to the bottle 800. The cover 239 may fluidly seal the fluid within the bottle 800, thereby preventing spillage if the bottle 800 is tipped over while containing fluid. The refill channel 238 may be located between the forward directed spout 241 and the handle 242 of the bottle 800. The bottle 800 with refill channel 238 may allow a user to purchase a single bottle 800 and refill the bottle 800 when it becomes empty. This may save the consumer money with each refill and may also reduce solid wastes, providing consumers with a “green” alternative to buying a new bottle and trigger sprayer each time it becomes empty.

Storage Venting Means

When the bottle contains liquid contents that expand or generate gas during storage of the bottle when the nozzle is in the closed position, it may be necessary to include a storage venting means. This passive storage venting means can be achieved by a circuitous channel, such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,202,870 to Pearce, or by a porous liner, such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,730,306 to Costa et al., both of which are incorporated in the entirety herein. The storage venting means can be part of the closure between the snap-on spout 208 and the bottle central part 216. The storage venting means can be part of the closure between the nozzle 206 and the nozzle fitment 214. The storage venting means can be a liner 243 between a refillable cap 238 and the snap-on spout 208, as shown in FIG. 8. The liner may have a circuitous channel or be porous.

Flat Forward Directed Spout

In one embodiment in FIG. 9, the bottle 900 has a flat forward directed snap-on spout 208 where the top of the snap-on spout 208 is substantially parallel to the bottle base 105. This allows the snap-on spout 208 at the top of the bottle 900 to load share during stacking the bottles 900 in cases during shipping.

Removable Child-resistant Measuring Cup

In one embodiment shown in FIG. 9, the bottle 900 has a removable child-resistant measuring cup 901. The child-resistant measuring cup 901 can have a push tab 902 on the measuring cup 901 that slides past a fixed bottle tab 903 on the bottle 900, allowing the child-resistant measuring cup 901 to be rotated off on internal theads (not shown). Alternative child-resistant means not requiring internal threads for the measuring cup 901 are also possible. As shown in FIG. 10, where the bottle 1000 has a child-resistant measuring cup 1001, the spout 1002 may have a drainback channel 1003 to drainback fluid to the bottle interior when reattaching the cup 1001 or at the end of the pouring process.

Easy-Grip Handle

The bottle can have an easy-grip handle that ergonomically balances the forward directed pouring spout. As shown in FIG. 1, the handle is an enclosed handle with a handle exterior and an enclosed handle interior. The bottle has a thumb pad 150 on the handle exterior 151 and a forefinger alignment recess 152 on the handle interior 153. These easy-grip features are suitable for a forward directed pouring spout which is tipped during pouring to a lesser extent than the vertical pouring spout on the top of a bottle.

This invention has been described herein in detail to provide those skilled in the art with information relevant to apply the novel principles and to construct and use such specialized components as are required. However, it is to be understood that the invention can be carried out by different equipment, materials and devices, and that various modifications, both as to the equipment and operating procedures, can be accomplished without departing from the scope of the invention itself.

Claims

1 A bottle comprising:

a bottle central part having bottle base, an enclosed handle on a bottle handle side surface, and a bottle top fitment, the bottle top fitment having a bottle filling fitment with a horizontal bottle filling fitment opening parallel to the bottle base;

a one-piece, snap-on spout fluidly connected to the bottle filling fitment at the bottle filling fitment opening and attached to the bottle central part with a non-circular snap-fit attachment surface, wherein the snap-on spout has a nozzle fitment with a pouring orifice directed away from the handle; and

a child-resistant pouring nozzle having a spout opening and attached to the nozzle fitment;

wherein the spout opening is directed at an acute angle greater than 0 degrees but less than 90 degrees, where the angle is measured between a ray from the spout opening highest point and parallel to the bottle base and a ray from the spout opening highest point across the spout opening.

2. The bottle of claim 1, wherein the spout opening is beveled.

3. The bottle of claim 1, wherein the non-circular snap-fit attachment surface is non-planar.

4. The bottle of claim 1, wherein the spout opening is directed at an acute angle greater than 0 degrees and less than 60 degrees.

5. The bottle of claim 1, wherein the spout opening is directed at an acute angle greater than 0 degrees and less than 45 degrees.

6. The bottle of claim 1, wherein the snap-on spout fitment has a pouring column attached to the bottle filling fitment.

7. The bottle of claim 1, wherein the attachment between the bottle central part and the non-circular snap-fit attachment surface is a non-removable snap-fit attachment.

8. The bottle of claim 1, wherein the snap-on spout is partially transparent.

9. A bottle comprising:

a bottle central part having bottle base, an enclosed handle on a bottle handle side surface, and a bottle top fitment, the bottle top having a bottle filling fitment with a horizontal bottle filling fitment opening parallel to the bottle base;

a one-piece, snap-on spout fluidly connected to the bottle filling fitment at the bottle filling fitment opening and attached to the bottle central part with a non-circular snap-fit fitment attachment surface, where the snap-on spout has a nozzle fitment with a pouring orifice; and

a child-resistant pouring nozzle having a spout opening and threadably attached to the nozzle fitment, so that the nozzle may threadably rotate axially along a nozzle fitment neck portion of the nozzle fitment.

10. The bottle of claim 9, wherein the nozzle may be rotated from a closed position to an open position in order to access the contents of the bottle central part upon which the snap-on spout is disposed.

11. The bottle of claim 9, wherein the nozzle fitment has a stopping mechanism preventing the threadable removal of the nozzle from the nozzle fitment.

12. The bottle of claim 11, wherein the stopping mechanism is a lug stop on the nozzle fitment that interacts with a drop lug on the nozzle.

13. The bottle of claim 9, wherein the nozzle includes an inner wall having at least one thread projecting from an inner surface and threadably connected to the nozzle fitment and an outer wall having at least one child-resistant lock interacting with a child-resistant stop the nozzle fitment.

14. A bottle comprising:

a bottle central part having bottle base, an enclosed handle on a bottle handle side surface, and a bottle top fitment, the bottle top fitment having a bottle filling fitment with a horizontal bottle filling fitment opening parallel to the bottle base; and

a snap-on spout fitment fluidly connected to the bottle filling fitment at the bottle filling fitment opening and attached to the bottle central part with a non-circular snap-fit fitment attachment surface, where the snap-on spout has a nozzle fitment with a pouring orifice directed away from the handle.

15. The bottle of claim 14, wherein the snap-on spout has a refill channel.

16. The bottle of claim 14, wherein the snap-on spout has a storage venting means.

17. The bottle of claim 14, wherein the top of the snap-on spout is substantially parallel to the bottle base.

18. The bottle of claim 14, wherein a child-resistant measuring cup is attached to the nozzle fitment.

19. The bottle of claim 14, wherein the handle is an easy-grip handle having a thumb pad on the handle exterior and a forefinger alignment recess on the handle interior.